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Module 228 Exponential Growth Law 29

The document provides an overview of the exponential growth law model. It defines the differential equation that describes exponential growth/decay as a function where the rate of change is proportional to the current value. It gives the general solution to this equation as Q(t) = Q0ert, where Q0 is the initial value, r is the growth/decay rate, t is time. Examples are given to illustrate radioactive decay and light intensity reduction according to this model.

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48 views6 pages

Module 228 Exponential Growth Law 29

The document provides an overview of the exponential growth law model. It defines the differential equation that describes exponential growth/decay as a function where the rate of change is proportional to the current value. It gives the general solution to this equation as Q(t) = Q0ert, where Q0 is the initial value, r is the growth/decay rate, t is time. Examples are given to illustrate radioactive decay and light intensity reduction according to this model.

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TAssist Tutorials
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Module 2: Exponential Growth Law

In general, exponential growth occurs when the rate of change of a quantity


Q with respect to time is proportional to the amount of Q present and the
initial amount Q(0) = Q0 . In symbols,
dQ
= rQ; Q(0) = Q0
dt
dQ
where Q(t) is the quantity after time t, is the rate of change of the
dt
quantity with respect to time, r is the constant of proportionality and Q0 is
the quantity at time t = 0. Solving this initial value problem will give us the
quantity Q(t) at time t.
dQ
= rQ
dt
dQ
= rdt
Q
Z Z
dQ
= rdt
Q

ln |Q| = rt + C1

|Q| = ert+C1

Q = eC1 ert

Q(t) = Cert
Using Q(0) = Q0 , we get

Q(0) = Cer(0)

Q0 = C
Therefore Q(t) = Q0 ert .

Remarks:

1. In our solution, we removed the absolute value because ert+C1 is always


positive.

1
2. The expression eC1 is just a constant. So, we replaced it with C, a
simpler looking constant.

In summary, we have

Theorem: Exponential Growth Law


dQ
If = rQ and Q(0) = Q0 , then
dt
Q = Q0 ert ,

where

• Q0 = amount of Q at t = 0

• r = relative growth rate (expressed as a decimal)

• t = time

• Q = quantity at time t

In the model above, if r is positive, then the quantity Q increases over time.
We call these models exponential growth models. Exponential growth
models include the continuous compound interest and the bacteria population
models. On the other hand, if r is negative, then the quantity Q decreases
over time. We call them exponential decay models, which include the
radioactive decay of radioactive isotopes.

2
As an illustration, we recall the continuously compounded interest model.
Let P be the initial amount of money deposited in an account that earns
interest at the annual rate r compounded continuously. According to the
future value formula, the amount in the account after t years will be

A = P ert .

Differentiating with respect to t will give us the associated differential equa-


tion
dA
= P rert = r P ert = rA; A(0) = P.
 
dt

The following are examples of models following the exponential growth law.

Example 1: For relatively clear bodies of water, the intensity of light is


reduced according to
dI
= −kI; I(0) = I0
dx
where I is the intensity of light at x feet below the surface. For the Sargasso
Sea off the West Indies, k = 0.00942. Find I in terms of x, and find the
depth at which the light is reduced to one third the surface light I0 .

Solution:

Since k = 0.00942, we have


dI
= −0.00942I; I(0) = I0 .
dx
According to the exponential growth law, the intensity of light I(x) will be

I(x) = I0 e−0.00942x .

Next, we need to find the depth at which the light is reduced to one third the

3
surface light I0 . That is, we need to find the value of x at which I(x) = 13 I0 .

1
I0 = I0 e−0.00942x
3
1
= e−0.00942x
3
 
1
ln = −0.00942x
3

ln 31

116.626 ≈ = x
−0.00942
Therefore, at approximately 117 feet below the surface, the intensity of light
is reduced to one third the surface light.

Example 2: One of the dangerous radioactive isotopes detected after the


Chernobyl nuclear disaster in 1986 was cesium-137. The rate of change of
cesium-137 is proportional to the amount present. If 50.2% of the cesium-
137 emitted during the disaster was still present in 2016, find the continuous
compound rate of decay of this isotope.

Solution:

Let C(t) be the amount of cesium-137 still present t years after 1986. Sup-
pose C0 is the amount of cesium-137 emitted in 1986, then there will be
0.502C0 of cesium-137 left in 2016.

To find the continuous compound rate of decay of this isotope, we start with
the differential equation
dC
= −rC, C(0) = C0 .
dt
It follows that
C(t) = C0 e−rt .
If t = 2016 − 1986 = 30 then C(t) = 0.502C0 .

4
C(30) = C0 e−r(30)

0.502C0 = C0 e−r(30)

0.502 = e−30r

ln(0.502) = −30r

ln(0.502)
0.022972 ≈ − = r
30
Therefore, the continuous compound rate of decay of cesium-137 is 2.30%
per year.

5
Try this out!
Exercise 4:

1. Find the amount A in an account after t years if


dA
= 0.02A and A(0) = 5, 250.
dt

dp
2. The marginal price at x units of supply per day is proportional to
dx
the price p. There is no supply at a price of 20 dollars per unit, and
there is a daily supply of 40 units at a price of 23.47 dollars per unit.

(a) Find the price-supply equation.


(b) At a supply of 100 units per day, what is the price?

3. A single injection of a drug is administered to a patient. The amount


Q in the body then decreases at a rate proportional to the amount
present. For a particular drug, the rate is 4% per hour. Thus,
dQ
= −0.04Q, Q(0) = Q0
dt
where t is time in hours.

(a) If the initial injection is 5 milliliters, find Q = Q(t) satisfying both


condition.
(b) How many milliliters are in the body after 10 hours?
(c) How many hours will it take for only 1 milliliter of the drug to be
left in the body?

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